Book of Nahum

Summary of the Book of Nahum

This summary of the book of Nahum provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme,
theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Nahum.

Author

The
book contains the "vision of Nahum" (1:1), whose name means "comfort" and is
related to the name Nehemiah, meaning "The Lord comforts" or "comfort of the
Lord." (Nineveh's fall, which is Nahum's theme, would bring comfort to Judah.)
Nothing is known about him except his hometown (Elkosh), and even its general
location is uncertain.

Date

In 3:8-10 the author speaks of the fall of Thebes, which happened in 663
b.c., as already past. In all three chapters Nahum prophesied Nineveh's fall,
which was fulfilled in 612. Nahum therefore uttered this oracle between 663
and 612, perhaps near the end of this period since he represents the fall of
Nineveh as imminent (2:1; 3:14,19). This would place him during the reign of
Josiah and make him a contemporary of Zephaniah and the young Jeremiah.

Background

Assyria
(represented by Nineveh, 1:1) had already destroyed Samaria (722-721 b.c.),
resulting in the captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel, and posed a present
threat to Judah. The Assyrians were brutally cruel, their kings often being
depicted as gloating over the gruesome punishments inflicted on conquered peoples.
They conducted their wars with shocking ferocity, uprooted whole populations
as state policy and deported them to other parts of their empire. The leaders
of conquered cities were tortured and horribly mutilated before being executed
(see note on 3:3). No wonder the dread of Assyria fell on all her neighbors!

About 700 b.c. King Sennacherib made Nineveh the capital of the Assyrian
empire, and it remained the capital until it was destroyed in 612. Jonah had
announced its destruction earlier (Jnh 3:4), but the people put on at least
a show of repentance and the destruction was temporarily averted (see Jnh 3:10
and note). Not long after that, however, Nineveh reverted to its extreme wickedness,
cruelty and pride. The brutality reached its peak under Ashurbanipal (669-627),
the last great ruler of the Assyrian empire. After his death, Assyria's influence
and power waned rapidly until 612, when Nineveh was overthrown (see notes on
1:14; 2:1). (Further historical information is given in notes throughout the
book.)

Recipients

Some words are addressed to Judah (see 1:12-13,15), but most are addressed
to Nineveh (see 1:11,14; 2:1,13; 3:5-17,19) or its king (3:18). The book, however, was meant for Israelite readers living in Judah.

Literary Style

The contents are primarily made up of judgment oracles, with appropriate
descriptions and vocabulary, expressing intense moods, sights and sounds. The
language is poetic, with frequent use of metaphors and similes, vivid word
pictures, repetition and many short -- often staccato -- phrases (see, e.g., 3:1-3).
Rhetorical questions punctuate the flow of thought, which has a marked stress
on moral indignation toward injustice.

Theological Themes

The focal point of the entire book is the Lord's judgment on Nineveh for
her oppression, cruelty, idolatry and wickedness. The book ends with the destruction
of the city.

According to Ro 11:22, God is not only kind but also stern. In Nahum, God
is not only "slow to anger" (1:3) and "a refuge . . . for those who trust in
him" (1:7), but also one who "will not leave the guilty unpunished" (1:3).
God's righteous and just kingdom will ultimately triumph, for kingdoms built
on wickedness and tyranny must eventually fall, as Assyria did.

In addition, Nahum declares the universal sovereignty of God. God is Lord
of history and of all nations; as such, he controls their destinies.